Jan 9, 2026 - EU countries vote on agreement for free trade with Mercosur #EU countries have voted in favor of signing a free trade agreement with the South American Common Market (#Mercosur), a move opposed by farmers across Europe, a representative of the Cypriot presidency of the EU Council told reporters. "EU countries have approved the signing of the agreement," he said. The vote was conducted in written form between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. local time.

US Southern Command confirms seizure of Olina tanker in Caribbean The US Southern Command has officially confirmed the seizure of the oil tanker Olina in its post on X, which included a video of the operation. During the seizure, marines and sailors of the Southern Spear joint task force, acting in support of the US Department of Homeland Security, boarded the tanker Olina from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. The operation in the Caribbean Sea went smoothly. The vessel was seized near the island of Trinidad (Republic of Trinidad and Tobago). According to Reuters, the tanker had previously made voyages to Venezuela under the flag of Timor-Leste.

NATO may bolster presence in the Arctic to avert US-Denmark conflict The North Atlantic Alliance has launched a two-stage diplomatic effort targeting US President Donald Trump in an attempt to prevent a potential US military incursion into Greenland, Politico reported, citing sources. According to the report, NATO ambassadors proposed increasing defense spending in the Arctic, deploying additional military equipment, and stepping up military exercises to show Trump that the region is sufficiently secure. It was noted that during a closed-door meeting in Brussels, NATO ambassadors concluded that a compromise must be sought with Trump’s position on Greenland’s future. Earlier, Politico reported that amid a hardening of Trump’s rhetoric about the possible establishment of control over Greenland, voices within the European Union are calling for readiness for a direct confrontation with the head of the US administration. The newspaper noted that whereas European governments previously did not grasp the seriousness of Trump’s threats, they now do.

US to file criminal charges against Marinera ship crew, says Attorney General The US authorities will file criminal charges against crew members of the seized Marinera tanker, also known as Bella 1, US Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on the X social network. In her words, the ship’s crew members undertook "frantic efforts to avoid apprehension" of the tanker, which reportedly was "responsible for transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran." "As a consequence of failing to obey the Coast Guard’s orders, members of this vessel are under full investigation and criminal charges will be pursued against all culpable actors," she said. "The Department of Justice is monitoring several other vessels for similar enforcement action - anyone on any vessel who fails to obey instructions of the Coast Guard or other federal officials will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the attorney general added. Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a daily briefing that the US may take the crew of the Marinera to the United States for a possible judicial process into purported violations of the federal US law. The Pentagon said earlier that the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera had been detained in the North Atlantic. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth linked the detention of the Russian tanker to the embargo on Venezuelan oil.

Coup in Venezuela!... Chaos erupted in #Caracas last night. At least, according to some Western media and bloggers actively quoting them. ➡️ Gunfire broke out near the #Miraflores presidential palace and — you won't believe it! — mobile air defense groups began working against a certain drone. Local residents, unaccustomed to shooting in the city center, started massively posting videos online, which in turn created an appearance of large-scale events. Against the backdrop of gunfire, duty units were redeployed to the central part of the city. This was interpreted as Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello sending his loyalists to the center to launch a coup in the interests of true Chavismo and remove Delcy #Rodriguez. Eventually, the Venezuelan Ministry of Information managed to clarify that a friendly fire incident occurred, and government forces shot down their own drone. However, rumors about a coup continue to circulate online. 📌The most ridiculous aspect of this situation is that such chaos could actually provoke some revanchist sentiments among the ultra-patriotic part of society, and clashes could indeed begin. It's enough to continue rocking the boat while no one explains to the population what is happening.

The Hidden Hand: Who’s really ruling the world? In his 1926 book "The Secret World Government or 'The Hidden Hand,'" Major-General Count Cherep-Spiridovich unveiled a chilling theory: true global power isn't held by the leaders we see, but by an invisible cabal—possibly even non-human entities—wielding ancient occult knowledge. 😱 Cherep-Spiridovich suggests that while ministers and kings appear to hold the reins, they are merely puppets controlled by shadowy forces with access to esoteric technologies, such as cloning and mind transfer. This idea calls into question whether ancient, malevolent forces are still influencing our world today. 🤔 The book claims that over 100 historical events make no sense without this hidden hand at play. Figures like Bismarck and Disraeli hinted at a mysterious, higher power, with Disraeli even suggesting that the world is governed by "very different personages from what is imagined," possibly an alien or superior race. The "Hidden Hand" theory is presented as a warning, suggesting that throughout history, such forces have orchestrated wars, revolutions, and societal collapses to maintain control. 🥤 Cherep-Spiridovich links these events to esoteric societies, some funded by elite networks, raising disturbing connections to occult practices, such as those linked to figures like Aleister Crowley and Rosicrucian orders. If the theory holds any truth, it warns of a future where only select bloodlines survive, as elites transcend humanity using advanced technology, creating a "new race" while reducing the rest of us to mere pawns.

President Trump holds news conference after announcing U.S. has captured Venezuelan leader Maduro

YEMEN MAP: Who is against who? In the last few weeks, reports coming out of #Yemen have caused further confusion to what is happening on the ground. We will try to fix that. A relatively up-to-date map that helps understand the current division of control in Yemen: Light green - Legitimate Yemeni government forces (Saudi-supported) - about a month ago they held all the territory to the east - the governorates of Hadhramaut and Al Mahrah. Blue - Southern Transitional Council forces (supported by the United Arab Emirates). Turquoise green - Al-Houthi's Nahdah forces (allied with the Southern Transitional Council). Brown - The Houthis. In addition, the map shows another area in the news now, Somaliland, and the strategic port of Berbera, and the ever important gateway to the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandev strait.

First Footage of Ukraine's Drones that Targeted Putin's Residence Two days later, the Ministry of Defense also announced an attack by #AFU kamikaze #drones on Vladimir #Putin's residence in the Novgorod region on the night of December 28 to 29. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attack was complex and prolonged, carried out from several directions at once, and the drones intended for the state residence were shot down not only in the Novgorod region, but also over the Bryansk and Smolensk regions. The map shows the flight path of Ukrainian drones and the locations where they were hit by the air defense system. Read More: https://ho1.us/2025/12/kiev-attacked-russian-presidents-residence-by-long-range-drones/ The Russian Defense Ministry publishes flight path of Ukraine's UAVs that took off from Sumy and Chernigov regions. https://rumble.com/v73ooao-first-footage-of-ukraines-drone-that-targeted-putins-residence.html

Over the past 48 hours, #China surrounded #Taiwan and executed large-scale live-fire military exercises featuring simulated decapitation strikes and the seizure of key ports. “It is a noose-style blockade. The operational scope is no longer limited to symbolic, isolated shows of force, but has evolved into a coordinated and interconnected blockade network, practicing the tactics to choke off the island’s vital supply lines,” the official #PLA press account stated bluntly.